Fried Chicken Meatballs in Saffron Sauce

Fried chicken meatballs taken to the next level.

Honestly if you have never tried fennel and celery root in a braised recipe before, what are you waiting for? I can slurp on these forever!!!

Fried chicken meatballs in a potato, celery root and fennel saffron sauce

Sauce:

• 1/2 of a celery root, peeled and sliced

• 1 fennel, sliced

• 1 onion, peeled and sliced in half moons

• 3 potatoes, peeled and sliced

• 1 lemon, juiced

• Pinch of saffron in 1 cup hot water

• 4 extra cups of water

• 2 tsp salt

• 1 tsp paprika

• 1 cup cilantro, chopped

Meatballs:

• 1 lb dark ground chicken

• 1 onion, peeled

• 1 potato, peeled

• 4 cloves garlic

• 1 cup cilantro

• 1 tsp paprika

• 1 tsp turmeric

• 1 tsp salt

• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs (or more)

• 1 egg

• Oil, for hands and frying

DIRECTIONS:

1. Start by preparing all you sauce vegetables and setting them aside.

2. To make meatballs: In the bowl of a small chopper, add onion, and potato and process. Add garlic and cilantro and continue processing until puréed.

3. In a mixing bowl, combine onion and potato purée, ground chicken, spices, breadcrumb and egg. Mix until everything is well incorporated.

4. Using oiled hands, form meatballs, in the shape of a small patty so it can be fried on both sides. Keep oiling hands to form nice meatballs.

5. Heat a large (oven proof) braiser at medium high heat. Add 1/2 inch of oil. Fry meatballs and batches on both sides. Don’t overcrowd the pan.

6. Once all meatballs are fried, remove most of the oil from the pan using a large spoon or ladle, leaving only about 1/4 cup of oil.

7. Fry onion slices in that oil at medium heat. Once golden, add saffron infused water along with the rest of the water. Season with lemon, paprika, and salt.

8. Then, start layering your potato and celery root slices. Top with fried meatballs, then insert your fennel on the sides.

9. Top with chopped cilantro. Lower the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for one hour on the stove top.

10. After an hour, uncover and bake in the oven at 400 to give it a golden finishing touch.

For full video, click here. 

Enjoy,

Guila